Machine for breaking in shoes.



.H. M. KLINGENFELD & A. H. INBUSCH.

MACHINE FOR BREAKING IN SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1913.

Patented Maw 25 W/TNEEEEE ED STATES PATENT on on.

-mac nmn non BREAKING IN snon s;

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented May 25, 191 5.

Application alee June 2, 1913. semi No. 171,170.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Hanna M. KLINGEN- ram) and ARTHUR H. INnUsoH, citizens of I the United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Breaking In Shoes, of which the followingis a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for breaking in shoes.

It is one of the objects of the present in-- a and thus eliminate the stiifness usually prescut in new' shoes and render them more pliable and thus conduce to the comfort of the wearer.

A further object of-the invention is to provide a machine for breaking in shoes which is adapted to approximately imitate the movement of walking and which is desirable as a window display for shoe stores.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for breaking in shoes which is of sim le construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the pur pose desired.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved machine for breaking in shoes and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims,

and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the legs 7 and upright standards 8. The side.

portions are connected together in spaced relation by transverse connecting rods 9 and 10. Horizontal shafts 11 and 12 journaled in side portions have mounted thereon between the said sides, drums or wheels 13 which carr an endless slotted belt 14.- The upper horizontal stretch 15 of the belt is supported on a transverse platform 16 positioned between and connected to the side portions 6. While the belt is shown as a preferred form of movable member which is engaged by the oscillating arms other means may be substituted therefor which will serve the same pur ose without departing from the spirit an scope of the invenion.

A cranked shaft 17 having -opposite cranked portions 18 extends transversely of and is journaled in the upper end portions of the standards 8 and each cranked portion carries a bearing block 19 journaled thereon. Oscillating members 20 having medial slotted portions 21 and upperend slotted portions 22 are mounted on the cranked shaft and the bearing blocks 1'9 {ti e slidably positioned within the slots 21 of 'eiaid members. Coiled springs 23 mountedwithin the medial slots and between which the blocks are interposed, serve to yieldingly hold the said blocks in central position in said slots. The upper connecting rod 10 extends through the upper end slotted portions of the said members to permit said members to slide thereon and oscillate when moved by the cranked shaft.

The lower ends of the oscillatin members 20 have jointed lasts 23' pivota ly connected thereto which are heldyieldingly in proper position by means of springs 24. The springs are secured to the upper edge portions of the lasts and have their free ends bearing against the oscillating members. The lasts are formed with toe joints 25 and with instep joints 26 and springs 27 fastened to the medial sections of the lasts have their outer end portions bearing against the outer sections and permit said joints to yield when the lasts engage the endless belt.

.The cranked shaft 17 hasa belted connection 28 with the shaft 11 and is so driven that when the lasts engage the endless belt they will travel therewith at the same rate of speed and in the same direction. The shaft 11 is provided with a belt wheel 29 for belted connection with a source of power.

In use shoes are placed on the lasts and the machine is started to rotate the endless belt and to oscillate the arms and the lasts carried thereby. The arms in oscillating will for a portion of their travel press the shoes firmly against the endless belt and cause the shoes to bend and give'at the lasts joints in a manner similar to the movements they would get if worn a person. When thus used on the machine for a shorttime the shoes'will lose their stiffness and become more flexible or broken in so that 5 the wearer will be relievedof this undesirable feature when getting a new pair of shoes.

Asthe oscillating movement of the arms imitate the walking movement the device is very desirable as a window display for advertising purposes. Y

While the machine only shows a construction for breaking in one pair of shoes at a time it is to be understood that the number of cranked shaft portions and oscillating arms may be increased'to break in a greater number of shoes without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. a

What we claim as our invention is:

1, A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a frame, a movable member and a movable arr n mounted on the frame, and a 85 thereby, a last movably and yieldingly connected to the arm and adapted to carry a shoe, and a movable member yieldingly engaged by the shoe.

4. A machine for breaking in shoes, comthereby and having a movable yielding last on its lower end adapted to carry a shoe, and an endless belt mounted on the frame and yieldingly engaged by the shoe and moving in the same direction as the last for a portion of its travel.

5. A machine for breaking in shoes, comprising a frame, an oscillating arm yieldingly carried thereby and having a jointed last on its lower and adapted to carry a shoe, and a movable member yieldingly engaged by'the shoe.

6. A machine for breaking in shoes, com-.

prising a frame, an oscillatin arm yield- 6 ingly carried thereby and having a jointed last on its lower end'adapted to carry a shoe, and an endless belt yieldingly engaged by the shoe, and moving in the same direction as the belt for a portion of the travel of the belt.

7. A machine for breaking in shoes, comprising a frame, a cranked shaft mounted thereon, an arm yieldingly connected to and oscillated by the cranked shaft and having a jointed last onits lower end adapted to prising a frame, an oscillating arm carried carry a shoe the jointed portions of said last being yieldingly held in position, an

endless belt mounted on the frame and yieldingly engaged by the shoe for a por-' tion of its travel, means for supporting the portion of the belt thus en ed, andmeans for rotating thefcranked s a t and the belt.

8. A machine for breaking in shoes, comprising a frame, a cranked shaft mounted thereon, a pair of arms yieldingly connect.- ed'to the cranked shaft, jointed lasts yieldingly carried by the lower ends of thecarms and adapted to carry a pair of shoes, the jointed portions of said lasts being ,yieldinglyheld in normal position with 'trelation to each other, an endless beltmounted on the frame and alternately yieldingly'engaged by each shoe for a portion of, the travel of said last, and means for rotatingx== the cranked shaft.- ,5; Y

9. A machine for breaking in shoeseoms, prising a frame, a last movablyand yield w ingly carried thereby comprisin a plurality of parts movably and yielding y connected together for carrying a shoe, and a member I. yieldingly engaged by the shoe. 10. A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a frame, a movable. member and a. movable arm mounted on the frame, and a last comprising a plurality of parts movably and yieldingly connected together, oneof said parts being'movably and yieldingly connected to the arm which is adapted to carry a shoe, said member yieldingly engaged by the shoe." 11. A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a frame, a last movably and yieldingly carried thereby comprisin a plurality of parts movablyand yielding y connected. prising a frame, an oscillating arm carried together and adapted to carry a shoe, and 5 air: endless belt yieldingly engaged by the s 0e.

12. A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a. frame, a last movably and yieldingly carried thenebv comprising a plurality of parts movably and yieldingly connected together and adapted to carry a shoe, and an endless belt yieldingly engaged by the shoe and moving in the same direction therewith for a portion of its travel.

18. A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a frame, an oscillating arm carried thereby, a last comprising a plurality of parts movably and yieldingly connected togather, one of said parts being movably and 33a yieldingly connecmd to the arm and adapted to carry a shoe, and .a movable member yieldingly engaged by the shoe.

14. A machine for breakinginshoes comprising a frame, a last movably and yieldingly carried thereby comprisin a plurality of parts pivotally and yielding y connected together for carrying said shoe, and a mem ber yieldingly engaged by the shoe. 7 l

15. A machine for breaking in shoes comprisin a frame, a movable ielding last movabg and yieldingly carrie thereby and adapte tocarry a shoe, and a member yieldingly engaged by the shoe.

16. A- machine' for breaking in shoes comprisin a frame, a movable dyielding last movab and yieldingly carrie thereby and adapted to carry a shoe, and an endless belt yieldingly'engaged by the shoe.

17. A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a frame, a cranked shaft mounted thereon, an arm yieldingly connected to. and vertically reciprocated and oscillated by the cranked shaft, a-last carried b said arm and adapted to carry a shoe, an a movable member engaged by the shoe.

18. A machine for breaking in shoes comprising a frame, a cranked shaft mounted thereon, a plurality of arms yieldingly con- 1 nected to and oscillated by the cranked shaft, means on the frame slidably engaged by said'arms, lasts carried by said arms and adapted to carry shoes, and a movable member engaged by the shoe.

19. A machine for breaking'in shoes comprising a frame, a cranked shaft mounted thereon, a plurality of arms yieldingly connected to and oscillated by the cranked shaft and having slotted upper ends, means on the frame passing through said slots, lasts carried by said arms and adapted to shoes, and a movable member engaged by t e' shoe.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY M. KLINGENFELD. ARTHUR H. INBUSCH. Witnesses:

CLARA V. MUEHLBACH, KATHERINE Hour. 

